2027: INEC Chairman Warns Staff Against Partisanship, Negligence

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, SAN, has warned staff against partisan conduct, administrative negligence and ethical breaches ahead of the 2027 General Election.

Amupitan gave the warning yesterday in Kaduna while opening the North-West Zonal Interactive Meeting with Staff and Readiness Assessment for the 2027 elections.

He told Electoral Officers, Heads of Departments and senior administrative staff from the zone that the Commission would strictly enforce its Code of Conduct.

“Partisan leaning, administrative negligence, or compromised ethics will not be tolerated,” Amupitan said. “Every officer must understand that protecting INEC’s institutional integrity is non-negotiable.”

The chairman linked the credibility of elections to the conduct of officials at polling units, warning that administrative lapses could fuel false narratives, voter apathy and disinformation.

“When a polling unit opens late, when an officer displays nonchalance or perceived bias, or when technical glitches are met with silence, we inadvertently validate the cynics, deepen voter apathy, and fuel disinformation,” he explained.

Amupitan described the conduct, competence and character of field officers as either INEC’s strongest defence against fake news or its biggest catalyst.

He also reminded staff of the oath of loyalty and neutrality required under Section 26 of the Electoral Act 2026.

He stressed that electoral officials and security personnel must administer elections without favouring any candidate or political party.

“The question must never be ‘Who will benefit from this decision?’ but always ‘What does the law require me to do?’” he said.

Amupitan cautioned staff against informal shortcuts in election administration, urging them to follow the Electoral Act 2026, the Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections 2026 and approved guidelines for political parties.

Where operational difficulties arise, he directed officials to escalate them through formal institutional channels rather than improvise solutions.

According to him, a sound legal framework and modern technology cannot guarantee electoral credibility unless officials implement the rules faithfully.

“The credibility of an election depends on how faithfully the law is implemented by the officials entrusted with its administration,” the chairman noted.

He described INEC staff as the Commission’s face in their communities and urged them to recognise the responsibility that comes with their positions.

“To the voter in a local ward, INEC is not the Chairman in Abuja; INEC is you,” Amupitan told the gathering.

He charged the officials to know the law, understand their responsibilities, remain neutral and document their actions, stressing that every administrative decision must withstand public scrutiny and judicial review.

The Kaduna meeting formed part of a six-zone interactive meeting and readiness assessment tour ahead of the 2027 elections.

Amupitan noted that his decision to personally attend the zonal engagements marked a departure from previous practice, when similar preparations often went through delegated structures, National Commissioners or headquarters directorates.

“I am here with you in person, accompanied by National Commissioners and Directors, because I firmly believe that the true success of any election is not decided solely in the meeting rooms of our headquarters in Abuja. It is decided in the field,” he said.

Reflecting on the Commission’s recent off-cycle elections, particularly the Osun State Governorship Election, Amupitan credited staff dedication for the outcome but warned that the 2027 exercise would demand more.

“The praise of yesterday raises the expectations of tomorrow,” he cautioned.

He noted that the 2027 elections would constitute a simultaneous national exercise across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

The Presidential and National Assembly elections are scheduled for Saturday, January 16, 2027, while the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections will hold on Saturday, February 6.

On staff welfare, Amupitan assured the participants of the Commission’s commitment to improving their working conditions and security.

He disclosed that INEC was at an advanced stage of implementing a new salary and welfare package.

According to him, the Consolidated Election Management Body Salary Structure (CEMBSS) took effect from January 1, 2026, moving the Commission’s workforce out of the regular Civil Service structure.

He added that overhead allocations to state offices increased by 150 per cent from July 1, 2026.

The chairman also announced the procurement and distribution of new operational pick-up vehicles to state offices and Local Government Areas nationwide.

The vehicles, he explained, would improve staff mobility, security and operational efficiency as preparations for the elections intensify.

Earlier, the Supervising National Commissioner for Kaduna, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, described the engagement as the second stop in the Commission’s six-zone tour after Lagos.

Haruna said the meeting was designed to mobilise staff towards delivering what he described as the best election in Nigeria’s history.

He expressed confidence that the Kaduna engagement would help the Commission identify gaps and strengthen election administration ahead of the national polls.

Director of Planning and Monitoring, Helen Ajayi, explained that the zonal assessment would enable the Commission to measure the preparedness of states and identify operational challenges before the elections.

She added that the exercise would also ensure that staff across the zone remained familiar with and committed to the Commission’s Code of Conduct.

Directors and representatives from the Voter Education and Publicity, Voter Registry, Information and Communications Technology (ICT), Human Resources, and Election and Operations departments also made presentations.

The presentations focused on their respective responsibilities and the requirements staff must understand as INEC prepares for the 2027 elections.